Over 100 dead, thousands left homeless by Afghan floods

KABUL (Reuters) - More than 100 people have been killed and thousands left homeless by flash floods in north and west Afghanistan, officials said on Friday, prompting desperate pleas for help from the impoverished provincial authorities.

Thousands of homes have been engulfed by flood waters in four provinces after three days of heavy rain in what is traditionally a wet period at the start of spring.

In the northern province of Jawzjan, police chief Faqer Mohammad Jawzjani said 55 bodies had been recovered, and that the number of dead would increase over the coming days.

"Providing aid or help from the ground is impossible," he told Reuters. "We have carried 1,500 people to safe areas of neighboring districts by helicopter. We need emergency assistance from the central government and aid agencies."

The governor of neighboring Faryab province said 33 people had died there and another 80 were missing.

"Ten thousand families have been affected and more than 2,000 houses have been destroyed," Mohammadullah Batazhn said.

Another 13 people were killed in the provinces of Badghis and Sar-e Pol, local officials said.